Tomato Casserole
Brilliant for those cold winter nights, really filling, tasty, easy and cheap. What more could you ask for?
This is a variation on a cottage pie, but the differences are significant. I've used Minced chicken, but basically, any sausage meat will do perfectly well.
The best things about making this are; you don't need to take any care when cutting the ingredients (in fact the more random the better), and the reaction when people eat it.
Give it a go, your friends and family will be grateful forever!
INGREDIENTS
200gr minced meat of your choice (sausage meat),
1/2 tin finely chopped tomato,
2 spoons of tomato puree,
2 onions,
1 stock cube,
mashed potato,
salt, pepper, sugar, and olive oil.
STEPS
1)Roughly chop the onions. You don't want small uniform diced onion for this dish. Chunky pieces are much better;
2)Gently fry the onions, on a low heat, in a large covered frying-pan;
3)Whilst the onion fries, tear the minced meat into uneven bite-sized chunks, then add salt and pepper, and crumble the stock cube over the top.
4)Once the onion should start to turn transparent without becoming soft (5-6min.), add the minced meat and continue cooking for a further 4-5min;
5)When the meat is cooked, add the tinned tomato, puree, a pinch of salt, and a couple of teaspoons of sugar. Stir!
6)Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the flame and allow to cool.
7)When the mixture has cooled, divide it between 3 casserole dishes, then cover with mashed potato*.
*See my recipe for "perfect mash".
8)Place in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 210c until golden brown.
9)SERVE!!! Preferably whilst piping-hot, in the casserole dishes, or you can cool it slightly by serving on plates.
